JP4357581B1 - Portable electronic device and communication control method - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable electronic device capable of performing close proximity wireless communication in a secure environment without impairing operability.
A portable electronic device has a housing. The surface 2 of the housing 1 is used as a communication surface. In order to prevent a radio signal from being radiated to the outside of the housing 1 through a surface other than the surface 2, the antenna 171 is wider than a wireless communication possible distance (for example, 3 cm) from the outer periphery of the surface 2. It is provided on the inner peripheral side in the first surface 2 with an interval. By bringing the communication surfaces of two devices having the same structure as the portable electronic device 10 close to each other, it is possible to prevent a radio signal from leaking to the outside, and to perform proximity wireless communication in a secure state. it can.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable electronic device that performs close proximity wireless communication and a communication control method applied to the portable electronic device.

  In recent years, proximity wireless communication has begun to be used in various IC cards, mobile phones and the like. The user can easily perform communication for authentication processing, billing, etc., simply by holding the IC card or mobile phone over the reader / writer unit of the host device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a relay device having a wireless communication function such as proximity wireless communication. In this relay device, a communication method having a communicable distance of 10 cm or less is used as a proximity wireless communication method.

By the way, recently, a new proximity wireless communication technology capable of higher speed communication has begun to be developed. Such a new proximity wireless communication technology can be applied not only to authentication and billing services but also to the use of exchanging data files such as document data, image data, and audio data between electronic devices.
JP 2007-81506 A

  The time required for the wireless communication for the authentication processing service or the like is a moment (for example, a high and a few seconds). However, when the data file is transferred by the close proximity wireless communication, the time required for the wireless communication becomes relatively long. For example, depending on the data size of the data file, a communication time of several minutes is required for transferring the data file.

  The longer the communication time, the higher the risk that the data file being communicated will be leaked to the outside or illegally hacked by a malicious third party.

  Therefore, it is necessary to realize a new technology capable of performing close proximity wireless communication in a secure environment without impairing operability.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a portable electronic device and a communication control method capable of performing close proximity wireless communication in a secure environment without impairing operability. And

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a portable electronic device according to the present invention includes a housing having a first surface, and is provided in the housing so as to face the first surface, with the first surface interposed therebetween. Proximity wireless communication between the antenna that outputs a radio signal to the outside and an external device that is provided in the housing and is within a predetermined wireless communication possible distance from the antenna via the first surface A wireless communication device, wherein the antenna is provided on the inner peripheral side in the first surface at a distance wider than the wireless communication possible distance from the outer peripheral edge of the first surface. Features.

  According to the present invention, close proximity wireless communication can be executed in a secure environment without impairing operability.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The portable electronic device 10 is realized as a portable information terminal such as a PDA, an audio / video player, or a personal computer. The portable electronic device 10 includes a system control unit 11, a memory 12, a storage 13, an input unit 14, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 15, a power supply circuit 16, and a proximity wireless communication device 17.

  The system control unit 11 controls the operation of each unit in the portable electronic device 10. The system control unit 10 is connected to the memory 12, the storage device 13, the input unit 14, the LCD 15, the power supply circuit 16, and the proximity wireless communication device 17. The system control unit 10 includes a CPU 111.

  The CPU 111 executes an operating system and various application programs loaded from the storage device 13 to the memory 12. The application program includes a communication control program that executes data transfer using the near field communication device 17, a driver program that controls the near field communication device 17, and the like.

  The storage device 13 is composed of, for example, a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The input unit 14 is an input device for inputting data and instructions to be given to the CPU 111. The input unit 14 is realized by, for example, a plurality of button switches, a pointing device, and the like.

  The LCD 15 is a display device used as a display monitor of the portable electronic device 10. The power supply circuit 16 uses the power supplied from the outside via the AC adapter 163 or the power supplied from the battery 162 provided in the portable electronic device 10 to power each part in the portable electronic device 10. Supply. In other words, the portable electronic device 10 is driven by an external power source such as an AC commercial power source or the battery 162. The AC adapter 163 can also be provided in the portable electronic device 10. The power supply circuit 16 powers on or powers off the portable electronic device 10 in accordance with the operation of the power switch (P-SW) 161 by the user.

  The close proximity wireless transfer device 17 performs close proximity wireless communication. Proximity wireless communication is a type of NFC (Near Field Communication). Proximity wireless communication between the proximity wireless communication device 17 and another proximity wireless communication device (external device) is performed in a peer-to-peer manner. The communicable distance is 3 cm, for example. In the wireless connection between the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and another close proximity wireless communication device, the distance between the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and another close proximity wireless communication device approaches within a communicable distance (for example, 3 cm). Only possible. When the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and another close proximity wireless communication device approach within a communicable distance, a connection between the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and another close proximity wireless communication device is established. Then, data transfer such as a data file explicitly designated by the user or a predetermined synchronization target data file is executed between the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and another close proximity wireless communication device.

  In close proximity wireless communication, an induced electric field is used. For example, Transfer JET can be used as the close proximity wireless communication system. Transfer JET is a close proximity wireless communication system using UWB, and can realize high-speed data transfer.

  The close proximity wireless transfer device 17 is connected to the antenna 171. The antenna 171 transmits / receives data to / from an external device by a wireless signal using an induced electric field. The close proximity wireless transfer device 17 and the antenna 171 can be realized as one module.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of the portable electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment.

  The portable electronic device 10 includes a housing 1 that accommodates components of the portable electronic device 10. The casing 1 is provided with the system control unit 11, the memory 12, the storage 13, the input unit 14, the liquid crystal display (LCD) 15, the power supply circuit 16, the proximity wireless communication device 17, and the like shown in FIG. Yes.

  The housing 1 has a first surface 2. The antenna 171 of the close proximity wireless transfer device 17 is provided in the housing 1 so as to face the first surface 2. The antenna 171 is arranged to output a radio signal (inductive electric field) to the outside via the first surface 2. The close proximity wireless communication device 17 performs close proximity wireless communication with an external device existing within a predetermined wireless communication possible distance (for example, 3 cm) from the antenna 171 via the first surface 2. The first surface 2 functions as a communication surface used for close proximity wireless communication between the portable electronic device 10 and an external device. By bringing the communication surface of the external device close to the first surface 2 of the portable electronic device 10, or by bringing the first surface 2 of the portable electronic device 10 close to the communication surface of the external device, Data transfer between the external device and the portable electronic device 10 can be started.

  In the present embodiment, in order to prevent the radio signal from being radiated to the outside of the housing 1 through other surfaces other than the first surface 2, the antenna 171 is provided from the outer peripheral edge of the first surface 2. It is provided on the inner peripheral side in the first surface 2 with an interval wider than the wireless communication possible distance (3 cm). The antenna 171 is separated from the upper end 2a, left end 2b, lower end 2c, and right end 2d of the first surface 2 by a distance longer than 3 cm. All of the distances L1, L2, L3, and L4 are longer than 3 cm. A distance L1 indicates a distance between the upper end 2a and the antenna 171. Similarly, the distance L2 indicates the distance between the left end 2b and the antenna 171, the distance L3 indicates the distance between the lower end 2c and the antenna 171, and the distance L4 indicates the distance between the right end 2d and the antenna 171. ing. Thus, in this embodiment, the shortest distance between the outer periphery of the surface 2 and the antenna 171 is set to be longer than 3 cm.

  Also, the distance L5 may be set longer than 3 cm. This distance L5 indicates the distance between the surface facing the first surface 2 and the antenna 171.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a cross-sectional structure of the housing 1 along the line II in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, the surface facing the surface 2 with a predetermined gap is shown as the surface 3. The top surface of the housing 1 is referred to as a surface 6 and the bottom surface is referred to as a surface 7.

  For example, the surface 2 can function as one side wall of the housing 1, and the surface 3 can function as another side wall of the housing 1. The surface 6 can function as the upper wall of the housing 1, and the surface 7 can function as the bottom wall of the housing 1. The antenna 171 faces the surface 2 in a state of being substantially close to the surface 2. The antenna 171 is disposed at a position where the distance from the surface 6 is L1, the distance from the surface 7 is L3, and the distance from the surface 3 is L5. As described above, the distances L1, L3, and L5 are all greater than the wireless communicable distance that is the distance in which the antenna 171 of the close proximity wireless communication device 17 can perform close proximity wireless communication with another close proximity wireless communication device.

  In FIG. 3, the proximity wireless communication device 17 is not shown, but is disposed near the antenna 171. When the close proximity wireless communication device 17 and the antenna 171 are realized by one module, the arrangement position of the close proximity wireless communication device 17 is the same as the arrangement position of the antenna 171.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the communication surfaces of two portable electronic devices are close to each other.

  Each of the device A and the device B in FIG. 4 has the same configuration as the portable electronic device 10 of the present embodiment. Wireless communication between the device A and the device B is executed in a state where the communication surface 2A of the device A and the communication surface 2B of the device B are close to each other as shown in FIG. The communication surface 2A of the device A and the communication surface 2B of the device B have the same size, for example. In both device A and device B, the antenna is disposed at a position sufficiently away from the end of the communication surface. Therefore, the wireless signal does not reach another device other than the devices A and B during the period in which the wireless communication between the device A and the device B is performed. During the data transfer between the devices A and B, even if a malicious person brings another close proximity wireless communication device close to the devices A and B, the transfer data cannot be stolen. Therefore, close proximity wireless communication between the devices A and B can be executed in an extremely secure environment.

  Note that the communication surface 2A and the communication surface 2B are not necessarily the same size. In both communication surfaces of device A and device B, an interval exceeding the communicable distance is provided between the antenna and the end of the communication surface. Therefore, even when the communication surface of one of the devices A and B is narrower than the communication surface of the other device, when the antenna of one device and the antenna of the other device are in close proximity, that is, In a state where communication between the devices A and B is possible, a radio signal for data transfer between the devices A and B does not leak outside.

  Such secure proximity wireless communication can prevent data leakage without performing data protection at the protocol level by encryption or the like. Therefore, since the software (communication control program, driver program) operating on the portable electronic device 10 of the present embodiment does not encrypt the transfer target data, the close proximity wireless transfer device 17 is configured in plain text. Send data to an external device.

  Here, a procedure of close proximity wireless communication performed between the devices A and B will be described.

  In the proximity wireless communication between the devices A and B, for example, the communication surface 2A of the device A and the communication surface 2B of the device B are brought close to each other, more specifically, the communication surface 2A and the communication surface 2B are brought into contact with each other. Executed in state. One of the devices A and B transmits a connection request signal. The other device executes processing for detecting a connection request signal at predetermined time intervals. When the other device detects the connection request signal from one device, the connection between the devices A and B can be established.

  FIG. 5 shows another example of the cross-sectional structure of the housing 1.

  FIG. 5 assumes a case where the distance L5 between the antenna 171 and the surface 3 is equal to or shorter than the wireless communication possible distance. Depending on the shape and size of the housing 1, the gap between the surface 2 that is the communication surface and the surface 3 that is the opposite surface may be narrow. In this case, the distance L5 is equal to or shorter than the wireless communication possible distance. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a shield member 201 that prevents a radio signal from the antenna 171 from being emitted to the outside through the surface 3 may be disposed. For example, the shield member 201 can be disposed between the antenna 171 and the surface 3.

  FIG. 6 shows an implementation example of the portable electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment.

  The portable electronic device 10 in FIG. 6 is a portable computer. The casing 1 of this portable computer has a thin box-like case. The surface 3 functions as the upper surface of the housing 1, and the surface 2 functions as the bottom surface of the housing 1. A display screen of the LCD 111 is arranged on the upper surface 3. A button group that functions as the input unit 14 is disposed on the upper surface 3.

  The antenna 171 is provided in the housing 1 so as to face the bottom surface 2, and outputs a radio signal to the outside via the bottom surface 2. That is, the bottom surface 2 functions as a communication surface.

  7 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 1 as viewed from the front surface 7 side of the housing 1 of FIG. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the housing 1 of FIG.

  As can be seen from FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the antenna 171 is provided on the inner peripheral side in the bottom surface 2 at a distance wider than the wireless communication possible distance (3 cm) from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 2. From any of the four ends of the bottom surface 2, the antenna 171 is separated by a distance longer than 3 cm. All of the distances L1, L2, L3, and L4 are longer than 3 cm. For example, the antenna 171 may be provided at a position corresponding to the central portion of the bottom surface 2.

  The distance L5 between the antenna 171 and the upper surface 3 is 3 cm or less. Therefore, the shield member 201 may be provided between the antenna 171 and the upper surface 3.

  FIG. 9 shows a state in which the communication surfaces of two portable electronic devices are close to each other.

  Each of device A and device B in FIG. 9 has the same configuration as the portable electronic device 10 in FIG. The close proximity wireless communication between the device A and the device B is executed in a state where the bottom surface 2 of the device A and the bottom surface 2 of the device B are close to each other as shown in FIG. Specifically, in the close proximity wireless communication between the device A and the device B, the bottom surface of the device A is installed on the bottom surface 2 of the device B so that the antenna 171 of the device A is close to the antenna 171 of the device B. It is executed in the state. In both the device A and the device B, the antenna 171 is disposed at a position sufficiently away from the end of the communication surface. Therefore, the wireless signal does not reach another device other than the devices A and B during the period in which the wireless communication between the device A and the device B is performed.

  FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of devices A and B in the proximity state. In the proximity state, the antenna 171 of the device A and the antenna 171 of the device B are coupled by an induction electric field, and thereby the wireless connection between the proximity wireless communication device 171 of the device A and the proximity wireless communication device 171 of the device B is established. Established.

  In FIG. 9, the bottom surfaces of the devices A and B are assumed to have the same size on the bottom surfaces of the devices A and B, and the antennas of the devices A and B are arranged in the center of the bottom surface. However, as described above, the sizes of the communication surfaces (bottom surfaces) of the devices A and B do not have to be the same. Moreover, since the antenna 171 should just be arrange | positioned at intervals wider than 3 cm from the edge part of a communication surface, it may be arrange | positioned in the position biased to the edge part side rather than the center part of the communication surface.

  Further, the adapter whose upper surface functions as a communication surface and the portable electronic device 10 in FIG. 6 may be brought close to each other. In this case, also in the adapter, the antenna 171 may be provided on the inner peripheral side of the upper surface at a distance wider than the wireless communication possible distance from the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the antenna is installed on the inner peripheral side in the communication surface with an interval wider than the wireless communication possible distance from the outer peripheral edge of the communication surface, communication with an external device is in progress. Can be prevented from leaking outside. Therefore, the user can safely transfer the data file or the like only by performing a simple operation of bringing the devices close together so that the antennas are close to each other.

  Note that the shape of the communication surface is not limited to a quadrangle, and may be any of a polygon, a perfect circle, an ellipse, and the like.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows typically the external appearance of the portable electronic device of the embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the example of the cross-section of the portable electronic device of the embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the communication between the two devices each implement | achieved by the portable electronic device of the embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the example of the other cross-section of the portable electronic device of the embodiment. The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the device comprised from the portable electronic device of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 6. The figure which shows the state which brought the communication surface of the device of FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 6 and other devices in proximity.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Communication side, 10 ... Portable electronic device, 11 ... System control part, 111 ... CPU, 12 ... Memory, 13 ... Storage, 14 ... Input part, 15 ... LCD, 16 ... Power supply circuit, 161 ... P-SW, 162: battery, 163: AC adapter, 17: proximity wireless communication device, 171: antenna.

Claims (8)

A housing having a first surface;
An antenna that is provided in the housing so as to face the first surface and outputs a radio signal to the outside via the first surface;
A proximity wireless communication device that is provided in the housing and that performs proximity wireless communication with an external device that exists within a predetermined wireless communication possible distance from the antenna via the first surface;
The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is provided on an inner peripheral side in the first surface at a distance wider than the wireless communication possible distance from an outer peripheral edge of the first surface. The housing has a second surface facing the first surface with a predetermined gap,
The distance between the antenna and the second surface is not more than the wireless communication possible distance,
The portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a shield member that prevents a radio signal from the antenna from being emitted to the outside through the second surface.   The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the shield member is disposed between the antenna and the second surface. The housing has a second surface facing the first surface with a predetermined gap,
The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the antenna and the second surface is longer than the wireless communication possible distance.   The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the close proximity wireless transfer device transmits data composed of plain text to the external device. A housing having a top surface on which a display screen is disposed and a bottom surface;
An antenna that is provided in the housing so as to face the bottom surface and outputs a radio signal to the outside through the bottom surface,
A proximity wireless communication device that is provided in the housing and performs proximity wireless communication with an external device that exists within a predetermined wireless communication possible distance from the antenna via the bottom surface;
The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is provided on the inner peripheral side of the bottom surface at a distance wider than the wireless communication possible distance from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface. The distance between the antenna and the upper surface is less than the wireless communication possible distance,
The portable electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising a shield member that prevents a radio signal from the antenna from being emitted to the outside through the upper surface. A first housing having a first surface; a first proximity wireless communication device provided in the first housing; and an outer peripheral edge of the first surface. A first portable electronic device including a first antenna provided on an inner peripheral side in the first surface at an interval wider than a wireless communication possible distance; and a first portable electronic device having a second surface. An interval wider than the radio communicable distance of the second proximity wireless communication device from the outer periphery of the case, the second proximity wireless communication device provided in the second case, and the second peripheral surface A communication control method for controlling close proximity wireless communication with a second portable electronic device including a second antenna provided on the inner peripheral side in the second plane,
The first proximity wireless communication device and the second proximity wireless communication in a state where the first surface of the first portable electronic device and the second surface of the portable electronic device are close to each other. By transmitting a connection request signal from one of the devices to the other, and detecting the connection request signal by the other of the first proximity wireless communication device and the second proximity wireless communication device, the first proximity wireless communication A communication control method comprising establishing a connection between a device and the second close proximity wireless transfer device.

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